Third Rockland council candidate enters race

ROCKLAND, Maine — A third candidate has taken out nomination papers to enter the race for the Rockland City Council.

Dale Hayward took out papers Tuesday. The deadline for filing papers with at least 100 signatures of registered Rockland voters is Monday at city hall.

If he files, Hayward would join incumbent Mayor Brian Harden and challenger Frank Isganitis on the Nov. 6 ballot for one open seat. Isganitis has not yet filed his papers but said he would by the deadline.

Hayward has run twice before for a council seat. He ran in 2009 against Harden. Harden won that race 1,488 to 867. In 1986, Hayward was one of nine candidates seeking two open seats on the council. He finished seventh with 344 votes.

The city filed a land use violation in court against Hayward and his wife in June but the matter was settled the following month.

For two open seats on the Regional School Unit 13 Board, there is no contested race. Incumbent board member Esther “Tess” Kilgour and former school board member Nancy Jeffers have both qualified for the ballot. Incumbent Brian Messing has not taken out papers.